Illusions, Insanity, and Me
by Echostorm413
Summary: Valleystar the leader of Lostclan, has received a message from Starclan saying the forest will plunge into eternal darkness, but will be saved by the call of the warrior. Who is the cat that will save Lostclan. And what is the darkness bringing forth?
1. Prologue

Prologue

_We're coming_... Valleystar winced in his sleep as he felt icy claws slice down his flank. He watched the shadows cats circle around him, their muscles tense as if they're going to pounce at Valleystar at any moment. He froze as he felt a hot breath against my neck_. Brace yourself Kittypet!_ And Valleystar was drowned in darkness.  
He woke with a start, his eyes darted around franticly. Valleystar sighed as he realized he was in his own den.  
" Valleystar."  
His ears perked up at the sound of the voice.  
"Valleystar. We need to talk."  
"Ok Fernsky. Come in."  
Valleystar sat up as a small tortoiseshell cat with bright green eyes padded in. She sat down in front of Valleystar and gave him a questioning look. Valleystar blinked confused, then notice his ruffled fur, he groomed it quickly then turn to Fernsky.  
" What is it Fernsky?"  
Fernsky took a deep breath.  
" I received a message from Starclan..."  
He blinked in surprise.  
" A message? What was it?"  
Fernsky went quiet for a moment then hesitantly spoke the prophecy.  
" The forest will lose light and will plunge into eternal darkness. But the call of a warrior will let light shine into the forest and will vanquish the evil."  
Valleystar let her words sink in.  
" But what darkness? What evil?"  
Fernsky sighed and shook her head.  
" Starclan did not say. These are the words they shared with me."  
Valleystar growled in frustration and stopped when Fernsky glared at him.  
" You are a wise leader Valleystar. You will know what it means when the time comes."  
Then she left with a flick of her tail. Valleystar sighed and rested his head on his paws.  
The prophecy and my dream... They must be….. connected somehow... He let out a massive yawn then sank into a light and frightful sleep.


	2. Chapter 1: The Prophecy Begins

**Ello everyone :D**

**Echo here, and before the chapter starts, I'm gonna post the LostClan list.**

**Leader- Valleystar: Black tom with icy blue eyes**

**Deputy – Rivershock: Silver tom with green eyes**

**Medicine Cat- Fernsky: Tortoiseshell she-cat with bright green eyes**

**Warriors-**

**Leafstrike: Tabby she-cat with amber eyes**

**Brambletalon: Shaggy brown tom with green eyes**

**Ravensky: Black tom with amber eyes**

**Shellpool: Ginger she-cat with blue eyes**

**Mossvalley: Light gray tabby she-cat with green eyes**

**Rainshine: Dark gray tom with amber eyes**

**Foxwish: Dark ginger tom with blue eyes**

**Duskfall: Black and white tom with green eyes**

**Apprentices-**

**Flashpaw: Ginger tabby tom with amber eyes; mentor is Rainshine**

**Flowerpaw: Light brown she-cat with green eyes; mentor is Brambletalon**

**Queens-**

**Whispersong: Brown tabby she-cat with blue eyes; mate is Rainshine**

**Flickerbloom: Tortoiseshell she-cat with green eyes; mate is Ravensky**

**Kits-**

**Berrykit: Light brown flecked with dark brown she-cat with amber eyes; parents are Whispersong and Rainshine**

**Echokit: Dark gray with light gray paws and tail tip, dark blue eyes; parents are Whispersong and Rainshine (My personal cat ;3)**

**Shadekit: Black tom with white paws, amber eyes; parents are Flickerbloom and Ravensky**

**Elders-**

**Mouseflash: Brown tabby tom with blind green eyes**

**Birdstorm: Blue/gray she-cat with amber eyes**

Chapter 1: The Prophecy Begins

Echokit playfully bounded out the nursery with her sister Berrykit and their denmate Shadekit.

"Let's play!" Berrykit mewed. "I'm Berrystar, and you guys are my loyal warriors Echoflash and Shadefall!"

"But you were leader last time, Berrykit!" Shadekit argued. "It's my turn to be leader!"

"Is not!" Berrykit hissed back.

"Is too!" The two kits then flew into a flurry of brown and black as they playfully fought over whom would be "leader". Echokit purred in amusement.

"Berrykit! Shadekit! Are you two fighting again?" The two kits froze and looked at Whispersong. Echokit padded over to her.

"Hi Whispersong!" Whispersong looked down at her kit.

"Hello Echokit." Whispersong gave Echokit a quick lick on the forehead, then drew her gaze back over too Berrykit and Shadekit.

"You two come over here at once." The two kits hesitantly walked over to Whispersong. She began grooming them. "Today you three become apprentices. I at least expected you to stay clean."

"Will Flickerbloom see us become apprentices?" Shadekit looked over towards the medicine den where his mother was. Echokit flicked her tail.

"Of course she will see us be made apprentices, Shadekit." Shadekit looked at her, his expression unreadable.

"If you say so Echokit…" Shadekit still looked unconvinced.

"Hush now kits, the ceremony is beginning." Whispersong gave Berrykit a final lick then turned her attention to Valleystar on top of the Hope Ledge.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Hope Ledge for a clan meeting."

Valleystar waited for the clan to gather though most were already there.

"Today we come together to celebrate three kits that have reached their sixth moon, and are ready to become apprentices." Valleystar looked down at Echokit, Berrykit, and Shadekit. He nodded signaling them to come forth. Shadekit stepped up first, then Berrykit, then Echokit.

"Shadekit, do you promise to train and learn the way of the warrior code?" Shadekit looked up at Valleystar, his amber eyes gleaming with excitement.

"I do."

"Then from this day forward till you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Shadepaw and your mentor shall be Foxwish. Foxwish you are skilled in battle and a brilliant hunter. Please pass your skills down to this apprentice." Shadepaw eagerly walked up to Foxwish and touched noses, then went over to his mother outside the medicine cat den.

"Berrykit, do you-"

"Valleystar, I do not wish to follow the path of a warrior, but as a medicine cat." Berrykit raised her head, her emotion unreadable. A few cats murmured in shock at the interruption, but quieted down as Valleystar raised his tail to silence them.

"Fernsky," Valleystar looked at the medicine cat. "You are a skilled medicine cat; do you wish to take up Berrykit as your apprentice?"

"I do." Fernsky's eyes were shining with excitement of getting her first apprentice.

"Berrykit, from this day forward until you earn your medicine cat name, you shall be known as Berrypaw." Berrypaw quickly padded over to Fernsky, touched noses them sat beside her and Flickerbloom.

Valleystar looked at Echokit.

"Echokit, do you promise to train and learn the way of the warrior code?"

"I do."

"Then from this day forward till you earn your warrior name, you shall be known as Echopaw."

Echopaw's mind whirled as she wondered who her mentor will be.

_Who will it be? Rivershock? Duskfall? Mossvalley? Shellpool? _ Valleystar's voice interrupted her thoughts.

"I will be your mentor."

Echopaw froze. The leader, is her mentor…. The LEADER is her mentor.

Valleystar started the chant.

"SHADEPAW! BERRYPAW! ECHOPAW!"

Echopaw listened to her clan join in to the chant. Eventually the chant died out and cats returned to their duties.

"Go find a nest in the apprentice den Echopaw." The young apprentice nodded and ran off to the apprentice den, while Valleystar retreated to his own den. He froze as heard a voice.

_And so….. The prophecy begins…._


	3. Chapter 2: A Father Comes, A Elder joins

Chapter 2: A Father Comes, An Elder joins

Valleystar shivered as a rush of cold air pelted him, and then the voice was gone. He blinked slightly confused. Instead of retreating to his den, he decided he would sit upon the Hope Ledge. He stared down at his clan. He had done well… Valleystar was a new leader. He still had all nine lives and was shocked when StarClan choose him to be leader. He had just been made a warrior of DuskClan, when StarClan told him to start LostClan and become leader. Valleystar grinned slightly at the memory.

He looked at Echopaw. He could tell she was different from the others. _Is that why I picked her to be my apprentice? Or…. Was it something else?_ Valleystar couldn't tell, so he watched the apprentices playfully fight to help clear his thoughts.

"Valleystar!" Valleystar looked over at the camp entrance where Duskfall stood panting.

"What is it Duskfall?!" Valleystar demanded.

Duskfall cleared his throat. "A Clan leader has come to visit…"

Valleystar blinked in surprise. _A Clan leader? But how could they find us? We are past the mountains, which are miles away from the other clans, AuraClan, FernClan, and DuskClan. How and why did a leader come here?_ Valleystar shook his head clearing his thoughts. "Fernsky, Rivershock, and…. Echopaw. Come with me." Valleystar turned to Duskfall. "Lead the way, Duskfall."

The warrior nodded and padded out of the camp quickly followed by the four cats. They walked along the territory, and past Fallen Creek all the way to the border. Valleystar stopped as he saw a familiar dark tabby pelt.

"F-Foxstar?!" Valleystar fur bristled slightly at seeing the DuskClan leader.

"Hello son…. I mean Valleytalon." The old cat rasped. "And I am no longer Foxstar; I'm Foxwhisker now that I have retired."

"I'm Valleystar now, Foxwhisker. Why have you come here?" Valleystar narrowed his eyes.

"I may be old, but is it too much to ask that I am able to live the rest of my days in peace in LostClan?" Foxwhisker looked at Fernsky and Rivershock. "You two are?" Valleystar pointed his tail at Fernsky.

"This is Fernsky, LostClan's medicine cat, and this is Rivershock the LostClan deputy." Valleystar looked at Echopaw, "And this is Echopaw, my apprentice."

Echopaw stepped forward hesitantly. "Are you really Valleystar's father?" She gazed at Foxwhisker with round, curious, dark blue eyes.

The old cat's eyes twinkled with amusement. "Yes I am Valleystar's father. It's nice to see such an energetic apprentice like you, Echopaw." Echopaw purred in happiness at the elder's praise.

"Rivershock, Fernsky go back to camp. You go too Echopaw." Fernsky and Rivershock nodded and vanished into the under growth. Echopaw started to leave then looked at Foxwhisker.

"If you join LostClan Foxwhisker, I promise I will give you the softest moss and the juiciest prey!" The young she-cat flicked her tail then sprinted off back to camp. Valleystar nodded, happy that his apprentice was so devoted to her duties.

Foxwhisker flicked his ear, and then looked at his son. "It's about time you found a she-cat. You and Echopaw seem close." Valleystar felt his ears grow hot and hissed through gritted teeth.

"She's just my apprentice Foxwhisker! If she loved anyone it would be an apprentice like herself!" Foxwhisker flicked his tail, amusement shining in his eyes. "That's what they all say…"

Valleystar glared at his father, "Let's just go to camp." The old cat stood up and followed Valleystar into the lush under growth. However Valleystar couldn't shake off the feeling that his father could've been right about him liking Echopaw.

_It's nothing! Echopaw is just my apprentice, nothing more to me… Or does she mean more to me than I know?_


	4. Chapter 3: The Elder And The Clan

Chapter 3: The Elder And The Clan

Echopaw quietly followed Fernsky and Rivershock back to camp. She really hoped that Foxwhisker would join LostClan. Echopaw wanted to hear about the other clans.

"Echopaw," Rivershock mewed. "Until Valleystar comes back please tend to the elders with Shadepaw." Echopaw nodded then padded over to her friend, who was collecting moss.

"Hi Shadepaw." Echopaw waited for a response but only a grunt came. "Gee Shadepaw," Echopaw picked up some moss for the elders' nest. "Who put the thorn in your nest?"

Shadepaw sighed and picked up some moss. "I don't know Echopaw. I feel strange right now…"

"What do you mean?" Echopaw questioned as she brought some old moss out of the Elders Den.

"Well…" Shadepaw put down his moss. "My stomach feels like its twisted and my mouth feels dry."

Echopaw looked at him. "If you feel like that you should go see Fernsky and Berrypaw in the Medicine cat Den. If you do I'll finish up the Elder's nest."

"Um…. Ok. I'll go see Fernsky." Shadepaw flicked his tail and padded off to the Medicine cat Den. Echopaw sighed then continued with the moss for the elders. Just as she finished with the elders, Valleystar and Foxwhisker padded in through the entrance.

"Great your back!" Echopaw meowed as she walked over to them. "While you were gone Valleystar I cleaned out the Elders Den, because Shadepaw wasn't feeling well."

"Yes… That's nice Echopaw…." Valleystar mumbled. He stalked over to the Hope Ledge, signaling with a flick of his ear for Foxwhisker to follow. Echopaw blinked confused at her mentor's strange behavior.

"Is Valleystar ok, Foxwhisker?" The old cat's whiskers twitched with amusement.

"Yes Valleystar is fine. He just has a lot of stuff on his mind. Don't let it bother you." Foxwhisker mewed then followed after Valleystar.

"Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey, gather beneath the Hope Ledge for a clan meeting." Valleystar yowled. Cats slowly poured out of their dens and sat underneath the Hope Ledge and waited for Valleystar to speak. "Today, LostClan is welcoming a new elder. My father, Foxstar of DuskClan, or now known as Foxwhisker, is joining to spend the rest of his days as an Elder of LostClan." The cats murmured among themselves. Echopaw let out a small purr to the fact that Foxwhisker was joining.

"Foxwhisker, are you sure you would like to spend the rest of your days as an elder of LostClan?" The old cat blinked, his amber eyes flashed like brands of fire.

"I do."

"Then from this day forward, we welcome you as an elder of LostClan." Valleystar gently rested his muzzle on top of Foxwhisker's head.

"FOXWHISKER! FOXWHISKER!" The clan cheered.

Valleystar blinked slowly. He watched the clan greet the new elder. Valleystar smiled to himself when he saw Echopaw happily bounce around his father.

_Such an active little cat she is. _Valleystar thought. He yawned, and then slowly retreated to his den, the chatter of the clan echoing in his ears.


End file.
